If You Give Leonardo da Vinci a Paintbrush...

If you give Leonardo da Vinci a paintbrush, he will want to paint the universal picture.

When he figures out he can’t do it, he will be sad and need a handkerchief.

When you hand him the handkerchief, he will notice that the way you are holding it makes it look like a face. He will immediately cheer up and ask you to hold it just like that while he sketches it.

After a while he will get tired of drawing the handkerchief and start drawing you instead. You will not notice until he asks you to look at the picture. Since you were not paying attention, you look like you were staring off into space. (People for years afterwards will wonder why you have that strange smile on your face.)

Since he finished the picture, he will be very happy. But since he is so easily distracted, he will forget why he is happy, and eventually think it is because he has figured out how to unite the universal and particular. You will ask him to explain it, because it sounds interesting. He will try to explain, but he will not be able to, because he does not know how to unite the universal and particular without bringing God into the matter, which he does not want to do. He will get very confused and confuse you too, and the two of you will sit and be confused together for a while.

After a while he will forget why he was confused and want to paint a new universal picture. And if he tries to paint a universal picture, he’ll need a paintbrush.

New Year Resolutions... or Whatever They Are

This is my first time actually writing down a New Year Resolutions list, so it's not quite so polished and complete-looking as some of the lists out there....

• Finish writing the unnamed book that looks as if it will be a prequel to an already-planned trilogy.
• Play Charlotte in Charlotte's Web at one or more productions (and hopefully do well...)
• Keep time spent on the Internet to a minimum.
• Learn to speak Welsh, complete with grammar.
• Learn to sing "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog.
• Participate in a Shakespeare play.
• Learn to drive.

Cornflower saw me and she wants to put down her resolutions here too, so here they are:

Bake a cake.
Read books I haven't read.
Catch up on math.
Have my friends over.
Go to the movies!!
Learn "Fur Elise" on the piano.
Give my sisters hugs.

Meet Sir Ursius and Galahad

I would like to introduce the newest members of my diverse toy family - Sir Ursius and Galahad. Sir Ursius is a large, plushy, white bear with a cheerful countenance. Galahad is similar but much smaller in size, and wears a red bowtie. They are an inseperable pair, owing to the fact that Galahad is sewed to Ursius. Cornflower has taken an instant like to the bear knights, and has kidnapped them from their fortress at least four times in as many days. I think Galahad likes her, but Sir Ursius is not happy with these proceedings. Galahad, I've discovered, likes anyone who will hug him.

Pie in the Sky

Oh dear
i fear
that i
can't fly
but if
you sniff
you soar
for more!
more what?
a glut
the sky
is pie
and i
know why
because
of fuzz
that flies
and cries
and sighs
and dies
and then
the jinn
comes through
the slough
and takes
and bakes
the pie.

this poem is by
mother auma and i.

Glenna Sere

Il seria melë glenna sere:
Si muna tisera na ayë.
Si lanta srim yrram ra ila osse,
Tiaril il laene ran ayosse,
Si lynna ri melë riëlis,
Lyarem srim si taeth rithis!
Si ossla anore srim ynnde,
Il seria melë glenna sere!

~~~~

I see with new eyes:
The world glistens in light.
Rain has come through my night,
Trees I know all sparkle,
The meadows shine brightly.
Gone is the veil of mist!
The darkened window has vanished,
I see with new eyes!

1 Corinthians 13:12 – For now we see through a glass, darkly…

The Boon of Life

Ky-yow replied: The boon of life is health.
Paddle-foot, Feather-straight, Supple-neck, Button-eye:
These have the world's wealth.

Aged Ank answered: Honor is our all.
Path-finder, People-feeder, Plan-provider, Sage-commander:
These hear the call.

Lyo-lyok the lightsome said: Love had I liefer.
Douce-down, Tender-tread, Warm-nest and Walk-in-line:
These live for ever.

Aahng-ung was for Appetite. Ah, he said, Eating!
Gander-gobble, Tear-grass, Stubble-stalk, Stuff-crop:
These take some beating.

Wink-wink praised Comrades, the fair free fraternity.
Line-astern, Echelon, Arrow-head, Over-cloud:
These learn Eternity.

But I, Lyow, choose Lay-making, of loud lilts which linger.
Horn-music, Laughter-song, Epic-heart, Ape-the-world:
These Lyow, the singer.

-- T.H. White, The Once and Future King: Book 1

A New Poster

Hello out there, everyone!

I know this says that Aravis posted it down at the bottom, but that's just 'cause I'm on her account. I don't have my own, because I am Thumper. But I was watching her, laughing at Beatrice's videos and Mother Auma's amusing accounts of daily life, and it seemed like so much fun... so I got on here. I wanted to share something too.

The best thing I can think of to share is Outdoors. It's a very nice place, you know... it was rather windy today. Outside is a beautiful place to eat carrots. When you have carrots, and you are outside, and the wind is blowing, then everything is good. Oh, and when one of the stuffed animals is by the window, that's even better, because then you have someone to visit with. The White Rabbit, Ninquë, is probably my best friend. Sometimes she talks to me in Elvish. I have a suspicion that she wants to teach me Elvish, but I don't think I'm interested. Ivey already calls me "An-Lhaw", which is Numenorean for "long-ears", and "Conejita", which is Spanish for "bunny". I don't need another language when I can't even speak.

Ninquë says that I ought to make the acquaintance of Sir Saucy Sparrow, who visits the backyard regularly. I think I might, but he's always so busy, and he's always talking to Lady Bianca Sparrow. They like to talk, and it would be fun to visit with them, but I don't know how to start a conversation very well. Verd the grasshopper says that Sir Saucy and Lady Bianca are quite nice, and he'd introduce me if I liked. Maybe I will.

But for now I'm making the acquaintance of everyone out in the blogosphere! Hi there! And Ninquë and Verd say hello too. So would Speckle of San Francisco, the seal, if he knew I was on here. And I suppose the Sparrows would to. So hi from everyone!